I was broke and out of a job in the city of London;
I went down the Shadwell Docks to get a ship

Paddy, get back, take in the slack!
Heave away your capstan,heave a pawl, heave a pawl!
'Bout ship and stations, there, be handy,
Rise tacks 'n' sheets, 'n' mains'l haul!

There was a Yankee ship a-laying in the basin.
Shipping master told me she was going to New York!

If I ever get my hands on that shipping master,
I will murder him if it's the last thing that I do!

When the pilot left the ship the captain told us
We were bound around Cape Horn to Callao!

And he said that she was hot and still a-heating,
And the best thing we could do was watch our step.

Now, the mate and second mate belond to Boston,
And the captain b'longed in Bangor down in Maine.

The three of them were rough-n'-tumble fighters.
When not fighting amongst themselves they fought with us.

Oh, they called us out one night to reef the tops'ls.
There was belayin' pins a-flyin' around the deck.

We came on deck and went to set the tops'ls.
Not a man among the bunch could sing a song.

Oh, the mate he grabbed ahold of me by the collar.
"If you don't sing a song I'll break your blasted neck!"

I got up and gave them a verse of "Reuben Ranzo."
Oh, the answer that I got would make you sick.

It was three long months before we got to Callao,
And the ship she was a-called a floating hell.

We filled up there at Callao with saltpetre,
And then back again around Cape Horn!

or

We filled up with saltpetre to the hatches,
And then bound back around Cape Horn to Liverpool.

South Australia is my home
Ch: Heave away, haul away!
South Australia is my home
Ch: I'm bound for South Australia

Heave away,
Heave away
Heave away you rolling king
I'm bound for South Austalia

There ain't but the one thing grieves my mind,
To leave my wife and child behind.

My wife is standing on the quay;
The tears do start as she waves to me

Now fare you well and fare you well;
Now fare you well, I wish you well.

On the twenty-third of March, my boys,
We hoisted our topsail,
Crying, “Heaven above protect us
From the fierce and the icy gale.”
We never was downhearted
Nor let our courage fail,
But bore away up to Greenland
For to catch the Greenland whale.

And when we come to Greenland
Where the bitter winds did blow,
We tacked about all in the north
Among the frost and snow.
Our finger tops was frozen off
And likewise our toe-nails,
As we crawled on the deck, my boys,
Looking out for the Greenland whale.

And when we come in the Davis Street
Where the mountains flowed with snow,
We tacked about all in the north,
Till we heard the whalefish blow
And when we catch this whale, brave boys,
Homeward we will steer.
We'll make them valleys ring, my boys,
A-drinking of strong beer,
We'll make them lofty ale-houses
In London town to roar.
And when our money is all gone
To Greenland go for more, brave boys
To Greenland go for more.